Since the development and practical use of cisplatin as an effective antitumor agent, a broad range of studies have been conducted with the aim of finding a new platinum complex which possesses more effective antitumor activity than cisplatin, and of improving properties thereof other than the antitumor action, such as reduction of toxicity and other undesirable side effects.
Carboplatin is known as a platinum(II) complex, as well as recently developed oxaliplatin. With regard to platinum(IV) complexes, iproplatin is known, and tetraplatin has been subjected to clinical trial but its clinical development has been suspended due to the side effects, such as toxicity.
Each of these platinum complexes is for parenteral administration use and is hydrophilic. In order to improve quality of life of cancer patients, great concern has been directed toward the development of an oral preparation for use in the treatment of cancer patients at the terminal stage.